Cherry Blossoms Photos

Washington Monument

Photograph by Karen Kasmauski

Cherry blossoms frame a sunset view of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. The blooming of the pink and white blossoms heralds spring's arrival in the nation's capital, where hundreds of thousands of visitors flock each year to visit the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

Cherry Blossoms in Rain

Photograph by Charles M. Kogod

Rain doesn't deter a walker from strolling the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., during the short blooming life of ornamental cherry trees. There are 12 different varieties of ornamental, or flowering, cherry trees in the District of Columbia. Ornamental cherry trees do not produce fruit.

Squirrel and Cherry Blossoms

Photograph by Fumiko Yarita, 2008 International Photo Contest

When I was driving through a local cemetery to view the cherry trees, I spotted this squirrel munching away the cherry blossom petals. It was very unusual so I took out my camera gear from the trunk and started shooting. He was just up there in the tree minding his business the whole time.

Cherry Blossoms and Jefferson Memorial

On a cold spring morning I endeavored to capture the feeling of what the Cherry Blossoms held for visitors. Not for my own nostalgia, but to convey to friends and family around the country—to allow them to somehow share the sweet, warming scent of the blossoms. However, not every day on the Mid-Atlantic coast is sunny—and I think this picture helps convey that even on cloudy days, seeing this spectacular event is worth every bit of effort.

Cherry Tree Swing, Japan

Cherry blossoms are synonymous with spring in Japan. This young girl is swinging into spring in a neighborhood park in Japan. I used a wide angle lens angled up in order to make this already high swinger seem sky-high.

Cherry Blossom, Nagoya, Japan

This is an early blooming Cherry Blossom shot in Nagoya, Japan. Cherry Blossom time is the most beautiful time in Japan, and one look at this flower is enough to understand why. This was shot at a local park near my house on a bright, spring day with my Nikon D300 and Tamron 90mm 2.8 macro lens.

Cherry Blossoms, Japan

Photograph by Michael S. Yamashita

In full bloom, an ornamental cherry tree branch extends out over a moat at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan. The flowering cherry tree, or sakura, is one of the most exalted flowering plants in Japan, where the blossoms' short but beautiful blooming time is a symbol for the evanescence of human life.

Warbler Amid Cherry Blossoms

Photograph by Raymond K. Gehman

A prothonotary warbler adds a splash of gold to a tableau of cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. The famed cherry trees were given to the U.S. capital city by Japan in 1912. More than 3,000 trees—and 12 different varieties—made the oversea journey from Yokohama to the District of Columbia.

Jefferson Memorial

Photograph by Stephen St. John

Cherry blossoms frame a picture-perfect view of the Jefferson Memorial across the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. According to the National Park Service, there are exactly 1,678 cherry trees surrounding the Tidal Basin—and more than 2,000 others nearby.